TALMUDIC ■ PEARLS ■ J Class Book. Copyright^ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIC TALMUDIC PEARLS % Compiled By BARNET HODES, LL. B. % PUBLISHED BY ARTHUR BLACKWOOD & CO Not Inc. CHICAGO, ILL. -p ^ b 6 J> Copyright 1922 BY PHILLIP PASKIND MHcG 'S2i ■CI.A677300 FOREWORD It is not my intention to present even a small part of the Talmudic gems, but it is my sincere hope that this little work may inculcate in the reader a respect for the wealth of beauty, sub- tle thought, and learning that the Talmud con- tains and thus perhaps act as an incentive for perusal and even study of the Talmud's won- derous store of sagacity and wisdom. B. H. ANGER A man who becometh angry, if he be a sage his wisdom leaveth him, and if he be a prophet his power of prophecy forsaketh him. Anger profiteth nobody. Anger showeth the character of man. To accept excuse shows good disposition. He who gives away to his wrath makes desolate his house. Be not easily moved to anger. To him who curbs his wrath, his sins will be forgiven. He who is slow to anger and easily paci- fied is truly pious and virtuous. BUSINESS One must not bargain for goods if he does not intend to buy. 1 Rabbi Chav declared to his son, Ibber, "I have tried to teach thee the holy law, but I cannot succeed; come and I will teach you the worldly things, if you bring goods from abroad, try to sell them before you have shaken of! the dust from your feet. Never be sorry for having sold your wine even if soon after you sold it it has gone up in price, as there is always a risk of wine turning into vinegar. Try always to have payment for your goods on delivery. Be content with a small profit on articles you can easily replen- ish, rather than a large profit on articles you have to import from abroad. If you have a large cargo of dates on your hands, try to dis- pose of them as quickly as possible." CARE Let not thy heart with care be filled, for care has many victims killed. Do not worry thyself with the trouble of tomorrow; perhaps thou wilt have no tomor- row, and why shouldst thou trouble thyself about a world that is not thine. CHARACTER A man may be known by three things, by his conduct in money matters, his behavior at the table and his demeanor when angry. CHARITY It is better to lend than to give. To give employment is better than either. Even he who lives upon charity should practice benevolence. The house that does not open the door to the poor, will open it to the physician. The noblest of all charities is in enabling the poor to earn a livelihood. It is our duty to relieve the poor and the needy, to visit the sick and bury the dead with- out distinction of race or creed. 3 CHILDREN Do not excite jealousy amongst your chil- dren by making one of them a favorite. Remember the history of Joseph and his brethren. The daughter is as the mother was. What a child says out of doors he has learned indoors. The daughter's doings have been the mother's acts. Do not confine your children to your own learnings, for they were born in another time. If your child deserves punishing, either punish him there and then, or else tell him you forgive him, but never hold the threat of punishment over his head. CLEANLINESS Poverty comes from God, but not dirt. 4 COMPANIONSHIP Not without reason goes the crow to the raven, but because it is of its kind. If you touch pitch, it will stick to your fingers. Even so, if you associate with evil companion, you will acquire their vices. Birds of a feather flock together and so with men — like to like — associate not with the wicked man, even if thou couldst learn from him. We may say to the bee neither thy honey nor thy sting. It is beautiful and causes rejoicing to see grapes on the vines; it is ugly and repugnant to see grapes on the thorn bush. When the iron was created the trees began to tremble. The iron however said to them: "What are you trembling at? "If none of you will join me I will remain harmless." CONDUCT There is hope for a man who is capable of being ashamed. As a tree is known by its fruit, so man by his works. Not what you say about yourself, but what others say. He who fears the opinion of the world more than his own conscience has but little self re- spect. Who is deserving of honor? He who honoreth mankind. Man, be ever soft and pliable like a reed, and not hard and unbending like a cedar. More than strangers can harm you. You can harm yourself. Do not enter your house suddenly. Much less the house of thy neighbor. 6 He who raises a hand against a fellow man, even if he injures him not, is called wicked. He who shames a fellow man in public is a murderer. If thou hast commenced a good action, leave it not incomplete. Those who, when offended do not give of- fense, when hearing slighting remarks, do not retaliate, they are the friends of God, they shall shine forth like the sun in its glory. Whether a man be strong or weak, rich or poor, wise or foolish, depends mostly on cir- cumstances that surround him from the time of his birth, but whether a man be good or bad, righteous or wicked, depends on his own free will. He who cheerfully submits to suffering brings salvation to the world. Man sees all the faults but his own. 7 The forest trees once asked the fruit trees: "Why is the rustling of your leaves not heard in the distance? The fruit trees replied; "We can dispense with the rustling to manifest our presence, our fruits testify for us." The fruit trees then inquired of the forest trees : "Why do your leaves rustle almost continu- ally?" "We are forced to call the attention of men to our existence." Action speaks louder than words. Judge a man by his deeds and not by his words. First correct thyself, then correct others. The following three kinds of men do not live a life worth living: Those who have too much pity with im- portunates, those who are very excitable, and those who are too fastidious. The seriousness of the insult depends upon by whom it is offered. 8 Do not blame in others your own faults. He who sees his own faults is too much occupied to see the faults of others. He who blames others is full of blame him- self ; and the faults he sees in others, may be seen in himself. He who seeks for a faultless brother will have to remain brotherless. Do not commit private acts in public, on account of evil consequences which have en- sued by reason thereof. 'All the other rivers said to the Euphrates: "Why is the current of thy waters not heard at a distance?" The Euphrates replied: "My deeds testify for me. Anything sown by man at my shore will be in full bloom within thirty days." The rivers then addressed the Tigris: "Why is the current of thy waters heard at a distance?" "I must direct the attention of the people to me by my tumultuous rapidity," the Tigris replied. The moral: The less the merits of a per- son are, the more he will feel urged to pro- claim them to the public. CONTENTMENT Grasp a little and you may secure it. Grasp too much and you may loose every- thing. The camel wanted to have horns, and they took away his ears. Drink not from one cup with thine eyes fastened on another. COVETOUSNESS The question is asked, why is man born with hands clinched, but has his hands wide open in death? And the answer is: On entering the world man desires to grasp everything, but when leaving he takes nothing away. 10 Even as a fox who saw a fine vineyard, and hungered after its grapes, but being too fat to get through the only opening there was, fasted three days. He then got in; but, hav- ing fed, he could not get out until he had fasted three days more. Naked man enters the world and naked does he leave. CRUELTY It is forbidden to be cruel to anything that has life. Do not put a greater burden upon thy beast than it can bear. To have compassion upon animals is one of the laws of Moses. He who has no mercy upon animals shall himself suffer pain. A man should not buy cattle or poultry without having first bought food for them. 11 DEATH Do not speak ill of the departed, but re- member that his soul still lives though the body is dead. It is our duty to comply with the last wishes of a dying person. Death is the haven of life and old age is the ship which enters the port. DECEPTION He who would deceive his neighbor would also deceive his God. Under no consideration lead men astray. DISCRETION Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend: be discreet. DISHONESTY Buy nothing from a thief. 12 It is wrong to receive a present from a thief. The receiver is as bad as the thief. There is no difference between robbing a Jew and a Gentile: The thief's end is the gallows. DRESS In the town where one lives the name will do; out side of it the dress must do. The learned man whose garments are soiled is undeserving of honor. DUTY The Lord is not with him who, while pos- sessing great knowledge has no sense of duty. ENVY An envious man frowns when his neighbor rejoices. 13 ERRORS Error soon loses itself. EXAMPLE Let every man watch his doings that he may be an example to his fellow man through life. EXPERIENCE Experience is the mirror of the mind. FLATTERY Let not your lips speak that which is not in your heart. Love those who reprove thee, and hate those who flatter thee, for reproof may lead you to eternal life, flattery to destruction. FOOLS The pious fool and the hyprocrite are de- stroyers of human society. 14 An ass tied to the sun A fool in a high station. A thing to which a fool will not consent know as the right thing. FRIENDSHIP Man should be of a lovable disposition; he must take heed not to hurt anyone's feelings in any way, even in a matter where he is shown an article that has been purchased and in his judgment it is neither ornamental nor useful or has been overpaid in value, he is not to ex- press himself in a way which would tend to sadden the possessor. Cause your enemies to become your friends and you will be a real hero. The best preacher is the heart. The best teacher is time. The best book is the world. The best friend is God. IS Have as many friends as possible, but not to one in a thousand tell your secrets. R. Simeon B. Elazar said: "Do not seek to appease thy neighbor in the hour of his passion, and do not seek to con- sole him in the hour when his dead is laid out before him, and do not interrogate him in the hour of his vow, and strive not to see him in the hour of his disgrace. In his presence do not lavishly proclaim all you can about a man's good qualities; reserve that for his absence." He who asks more of his friend than he can bestow, deserves to be refused. A man without friends is like the left hand without the right. If thy friend is honey, do not lick him up altogether. Thine own deeds make thy friends and ene- mies. 16 At the gate of abundance there are many a brother and friend; at the gate of misery there are neither brother nor friend. One should not part from a friend in the midst of levity or idle talk, but rather after conversing on matters of importance. His friend is then more likely to remember him or think of him. One enemy is one too many, a thousand friends are none too many. The dog follows thee, but his attachment is the crumb which he expects of thee. GOD AND MAN During Rabbi Meir's absence from home two of his sons died. Their mother, hiding her grief, awaited the father's return, and then said to him, "My husband, some time since two jewels of in- estimable value were placed with me for safe keeping." "He who left them with me called for them 17 today, and I delivered them into his hands." "That is right," said the Rabbi, approvingly. "We must always return cheerfully and faith- fully all that is left in our care." Shortly after this the Rabbi asked for his sons, and the mother taking him by the hand, led him gently to the chamber of death. Meir gazed upon his sons, and realizing the truth, wept bitterly. "Weep not, beloved husband," said his noble wife ; "didst thou not say to me we must return cheerfully, when it is called for, all that has been placed in our care? God gave us these jewels, he left them with us for a time, and we gloried in their possession; now that he calls for his own, we should not repine." Rabbi Judah said: "If a person weeps and mourns excessively for a lost relative, his grief becomes a murmur against God, and he may soon be obliged to weep for another death." We should justify the decree of God and exclaim with Job: "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken. Blessed be the name of the Lord." God's commandments are intended to 18 enhance the value and enjoyment of life, but not to mar it and make it gloomy. He who devotes himself to the mere study of religion without engaging in work of love and mercy is like one who has no God. When a rich man requires the services of any one, he is sure to be accommodated, and that with the pleasantest of face, but when the poor man is in need of anything, if fortu- nate enough not to meet with refusal, it will be granted to him grudgingly. Not so with our merciful Father, he in- vites the poor and humble (in spirit) to come to him. Be bold as a leopard, and swift as an eagle and fleet as a hart, and strong as a lion to do the will of thy Father which is in heaven. Whoever is loved by mankind is also loved by the supreme, but whosoever is not loved by mankind is not loved by the supreme. 19 GOVERNMENT If a fox is king, bow to him. Respect the customs of the place whither thou comest; for Moses ascended to heaven and ate no bread, while the angels descended to earth and partook of food. Do not aspire for public office; but where there are no men, try to be the man. Do not isolate thyself from the community and its interests. Were it not for patriotism sterile lands would be deserted. It is sinful to deceive the government re- garding taxes and duties. Pray for the welfare of the government, since if it were not for the awe which it in- spires, men would swallow each other alive. Those who work for the community shall work without selfishness, and with the pure intention to promote its welfare. 20 He who revolts against the government commits as great a sin as if he revolted against God. Despise not public opinion; the voice of the people is the voice of God. Even if the commonest of the common is appointed leader by a community, he must be considered as the noblest of nobility. A judge is to be held, in his days, equal in authority with the greatest of his antecedents. The serpent's tail had a long time followed the direction of the head with the best results. One day the tail began, "thou appearest al- ways foremost, but I must remain in the back- ground. Why should I not also sometimes lead?" "Well," replied the head, "thou shall have thy will for once." The tail rejoiced, and ac- cordingly took the lead. Its first exploit was to drag the body into a miry ditch. Hardly es- caped from that unpleasant situation, it crept into a fiery furnace; and when relieved from 21 there, it got entangled among briers and thorns. What caused all the misfortunes? Because the head submitted to be guided by the tail. When the lower classes are guided by the higher, all goes well, but if the higher orders sutler themselves to be swayed by popular prejudices they all suffer together. GUILT He who denies his guilt doubles his guilt. If any blame be attached to thee, be the first one to declare it. He through whose agency another has been falsely punished, stands outside of heaven's gates. HEALTH Wait not to honor the physician till thou fallest sick. Medicine is a science whose practice is authorized by God himself. 22 We ought not live in a town where no physi cian resides. If you regard your health, then never eat yourself full and lie down to sleep immedi- ately after a meal. HONESTY The liar is not believed even when he tells the truth. A judge that takes a bribe, even if he be otherwise perfectly righteous, will not depart from the world before he has become de- mented. Falsehood is popular, truth is unpopular; falsehood is frequent, truth scarce; but truth prevails, while falsehood does not prevail. Man should rather turn a carcass in the open street then turn from his word. And he should skin a carcass to earn his bread and not to disdain such work and say it is beneath his dignity. His learning is his high birth. 23 There can be no indignity in earning an honest wage, whatever the work may be. Whoever takes a coin from the fund in- tended for charity for the poor when he is not in need of it, will not die before he will really be in need of assistance. Rather eat onions and sit in peace in thy house, than geese and chickens which thou wilt acquire a taste for and perhaps be unable to gratify. Reduce the quality of thy meals, if need be, in order to improve the quality of thy abode. When Ula came from Palestine he said, "There is a saying in Palestine to this effect: He who always eats the fat of a ram's tail must hide himself from creditors in an altar, but he who satisfies himself with herbs, can sit in the center of the market in full view of all." HYPOCRISY It is contemptible conduct to enter anyone's home without knocking at the door. 24 Mishna C. Be cautious with those in authority, for they let not a man approach them but for their own purpose; and they ap- pear like friends when it is to their advantage, and stand not by a man in time of his need. Mishna V. Samuel the little used always repeat the following passage: At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice and at his stumbling let not they heart be glad. There is a suspicion against a young girl given much to prayer, and against a widow given much to visiting her neighbors. Be not a friend of one who wears the cloak of a saint to cover the moral deformities of a knave. There are some who preach beautifully, but practice not their beautiful doctrine. IGNORANCE Ignorance and conceit go hand in hand. 25 IMMORTALITY 9 A special mansion will be given in heaven to every pious man. The longest life is insufficient for the fulfil- ment of half of man's desires. The just of all nations have a portion in the future reward. INDUSTRY The future gains from present pains. INGRATITUDE When he was a puppy I fed him, and when he became a dog he bit me. In the well from which thou drinkest do not cast a stone. JEALOUSY He that cherishes jealousy in his heart, his bones rot. 26 JUSTICE Thy neighbor's property must be as sacred to thee as thine own. Wrong neither they brother in faith nor him who differs from thee in faith. KNOWLEDGE If thou hast acquired knowledge, what canst thou lack? If thou lackest knowledge, what canst thou acquire? Be eager to acquire knowledge; it does not come to thee by inheritance. If a man has knowledge he has all things; if he has no knowledge he has nothing. It may be much easier to replace the loss of a king than that of a public religious in- structor. Let every community bear this in mind and treat their religious teachers ac- cordingly. 27 A plant transplanted will thrive more so than the one which always remains in its original ground. Likewise the student who changes school and teachers will learn more than one who always remains in the same school. A thinking mind can gauge a man's charac- ter in trivial matters by a man's eating or drinking; even a man's whiskers may indicate a man's intellect and may be an index as to his learning and lack of learning. To acquire knowledge and not impart it to others may be compared to a beautiful plant flourishing in the untraversed desert, where no one is benefited by its existence. Be choice in your speech even if you have to use more words to convey your meaning. Never make a short cut in speaking but use decent expressions and phrases. Mishna I. Seven things mark the clod and seven there are for the sage. The wise man does not speak before those 28 who surpass him in wisdom and years ; he does not interrupt another in his speech, he is not hasty in answering; he does not ask questions rashly; asks with propriety and point; speaks first upon the matter first in order, and last upon last, when he does not understand the matter under discussion he confesses, I do not understand it; and admits it when he has been convinced. The opposite of these mark the clod. Mishna T. R. Elazar Ozariah was wont to say, 'Without knowledge of religion there can be no true culture, and without true culture there can be no knowledge of religion. Where there is no wisdom there is no fear of God, and without fear of God there is no wisdom, without learning there can be no counsel, and without counsel there will be lack of learning. Where there is a dearth of bread culture can- not thrive, and the lack of culture causes dearth of bread." In attempting to study any subject, it is advisable to read through the subject, then to 29 try to understand the simple or literal mean- ing of the phrases and again read it carefully through to grasp the side issue. Rav gave the following advice to his son Rabbi Cheyah, "Never accustom yourself to one sort of drink, if you must have alcohol drinks, then do not always take the same. If you do, it will be hard for you to break your- self of the habit of drinking. Do not walk fast; fast walking injures the eyesight. Have no tooth extracted, even if all other remedies for the ache have failed. Do not indulge feel- ing of revenge, not even against a heathen, aye, not even against a snake." LOVE When our conjugal love was strong, the width of the threshold offered sufficient ac- commodation for both of us ; but now that it has cooled down, a couch of sixty yards wide is too narrow. Three things produce love: Culture of mind, modesty, and meekness. 30 Love takes no advice. The love which shirks from reproving is no love. Love inspired by unworthy motives dies when those motives disappear. MAN AND WIFE A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Weil said! The former precludes one from being in the open, the latter prevents one from being in his house. R. Halbo said: "One should always be careful with the honor of his wife as the bless- ing of the home usually comes for the sake of the wife." R. Jehudah said: "The husband should al- ways endeavor to provide bread for his house, for quarrels begin mostly on account of im- providence. 31 One should be careful with his wife, not to deceive her even in words, for often her tears hasten the punishment." A woman is generally very devoted to her first son-in-law, so that if her husband is wise, he will see that she does not give away to her son-in-law all he possesses. The man who marries a woman who is not suitable to be his wife may be compared to the man who takes the trouble to prepare the ground to grow salt in it. And the man who marries a woman for her money only, must expect bad offsprings. When the affections between husband and wife are as they should be, they can lie to- gether — so to say — on the edge of a sword; but when affection wanes, a very large room is too narrow for them. When you are about to marry, have a care as to the character and disposition of the brother of the woman you intend marrying, for as a general rule your future sons will take 32 up the character and disposition of their mother's brother. Love your wife truly and faithfully, and do not compel her to work hard. If thy wife is small bend down and take her counsel. Let a man be careful to honor his wife, for he owes to her alone all the blessings of his home. MARRIAGE A man is not allowed to marry a woman whom he does not in reality consider his suit- able partner in life, but wants to marry her for present conveniences, with intention even- tually to divorce her. Buy an estate in haste if you will, but do not choose a wife in haste; in fact do not choose one who is of better (higher) birth than you. 33 It is but natural that man should propose in marriage. He who lost something gener- ally endeavors to find his loss. The first man lost a rib and found it again in the shape of a wife. One who gives his daughter to a common person virtually casts her to a lion; for as a lion tears and devours his victim without shame, so does a common person beat his wife, then they come together again and he is not ashamed. Let youth and old age not be joined in mar- riage, lest the purity and peace of domestic life be disturbed. MATERIAL GAIN The most judicious way to invest one's pos- sessions is a third thereof in inmovable prop- erty, a third in goods and a third to have cash at call. If you have to sign your name on a blank piece of paper, sign at the top of the paper where nothing can be written above signature. 34 Anyone who has too much money and de- sires to get rid of it is advised to wear clothes made of Roman flax (material), use fre- quently glassware in his household, and em- ploy workmen and not superintend their work. MEDDLING The meddler has his spoon in every pot. MISER Man is like that vegetation which sprouts from the ground as a tender plant, and gradu- ally grows until at last it withers away and perisheth. This, O man, should teach thee to ever live pleasurably, enjoying the wealth that is thine while thou livest, for, consider, how long may that be? Life is brief and death is sure. What mat- ters it to thee if thy heirs will inherit a little more or a little less! Thou, O man, knowest not even how they will prize it whether they will make good use of it or squander it. The birds in the air even despise a miser. 35 MISFORTUNE When misfortune befalls you, examine your conduct and knowledge that God's chastise- ment is just. MODERATION Be not overzealous of your wife, for that tends to defeat your own purpose. The horse fed too freely with oats often be- comes unruly. Eat and drink to live; live not to eat and drink, for those do the beasts. The sensible man drinks only when he is thirsty. One should not drink the contents of a glass in one gulp, that betokens greediness. Two sips at intervals are more proper than three, which would seem somewhat pedantry. Wine in moderation is desirable, wine to excess is destructive to the body and soul. 36 NEATNESS Man's general expense should be less than his income, but as to the dress of his wife and of his children, that should be better than his income justifies. Attending a funeral shabbily dressed is rob- bing the dead of respect due them. OBSCENITY Let a man never allow an obscene word to pass out of his mouth. PARENTS The duty of honoring parents has not ceased when the earth has closed on their mortal re- mains. Their memory must be cherished and hon- ored. PATIENCE Never urge on matters unduly, if they do not hasten with your own speed, give them time for ripening. 37 PEACE Great is peace, for it is for the world what yeast is to the dough. Sow peace at home, scatter its fruits abroad. He who maketh peace among strivers will inherit eternal life. PERSECUTION R. Abahu said : "Be of them who are perse- cuted, not of them who persecute. Whosoever does not persecute them that persecute him, and whosoever takes an offence in silence, he who does good because of love, he who is cheerful under his suffering, they are the friends of God." And of them the scripture says : "They shall shine forth like the sun at noonday. There is not a single bird more persecuted than the dove, yet God has chosen her to be offered upon the alter." 38 'The bull is hunted by the lion, the sheep by the wolf, the goat by the tiger." And God said: "Bring me a sacrifice not from them who persecute, but from them that are persecuted." POVERTY Poverty sits as gracefully upon some people as a red saddle upon a white horse. Be mindful of the children of the poor, for learning comes from them. Healthy poverty is opulence, compared with ailing wealth. PRIDE A single coin in an empty box rattles loudly. Pride leads to the destruction of man. Even to his own household the overbearing is distasteful. 39 He who hardens his heart with pride softens his brain with the same. False pride is fatal to the acquisition of knowledge. If you don't know anything or cannot under- stand the thing explained to you, be not above asking. It requires but the slightest breeze of ill luck to cast down the proud, and quite right too; for the immense ocean, which consists of countless drops of water, is never the less dis- turbed by the slightest breeze ; and will there be anything more necessary to humble man, in whose veins only one drop of blood is flowing. PUBLIC OPINION If one person tells thee that thou hast asses ears, do not mind it; but if two persons make this assertion, at once place a pack-saddle upon thy back. 40 QUARRELING When two men quarrel, he who is first silent is the better man. Quarreling is the weapon of the weak. RELIGION Religion maketh the man. Religion is the light of the world. REPUTATION Three names are given to man: One by his parents, another by the world, and the third by his works — the one which is written in the immortal book of his fate. Which of the three names is the best? Solomon teaches us when he says: "A good name is better than the sweetest oil." There are three crowns: That of the law, the priesthood and royalty, but the crown of a good name is better than all these. 41 RICHES He is rich who enjoys what he possesseth. RIGHTEOUSNESS The learned man should judge himself ac- cording to his own teachings, and not do any- thing he has forbidden others to do. Go to sleep without supper, but rise without debts. The righteous man is a pillar upon which the whole world rests. Beasts of the field and the birds of the air find their food without anxiety or care. They were created for the service of man, and man would surely find his substance with the same ease were it not that his ways are corrupt and crooked. Johia said: "It is better for one to throw himself in a burning furnace, than bring one to public shame." 42 The giving of alms, visiting the sick and burying the dead is not to be confined to the Jews, but must be extended to non Jews as well. One that is desirous that his wife shall die in order to inherit her property, or one who is desirous that his brother shall die in order to marry his wife, in the end will be buried by them. Regarding such it is written. He that diggeth a pit will fall into it, and he who breaketh down a fence, a serpent will bite him. The judge who takes care to be just in judgment, is a helper of the supreme being in maintaining and upholding the world. SILENCE R. Agiba said: "The safeguard for honor is refraining from laughter; the safeguard for wisdom is silence." If silence is becoming to a wise man, how much more so to a fool. 43 If a word spoken in time is worth one piece of money, silence in its time is certainly worth two. If we are intrusted with some secrets by any- one, though not bidden by the party to keep it secret, we are not permitted to divulge what we're told without receiving permission from our informant to divulge. To talk whilst eating is to court danger. Blessed is he who silently bears his trial, of which every one has his share. Mishna P. Simeon, his son, was wont to say: "All the days of my life have been passed among the sages and I have never found any- thing better for a man than silence." SLANDER To slander is to murder. Better no ears at all than one that listeneth to evil. 44 Teach thy tongue to say, I do not know. Rather be thrown in a fiery furnace than bring one to public shame. A slanderer injures three persons: Him- self, him that receives the slander, and the slandered person. Listen, sir, to my words and give ear to my utterance. "Keep from strife with thy neigh- bor, and if thou seest that thy friend does any- thing wrong, guard thy tongue from gossip." R. Gamaliel ordered his servant to bring something good from the market and he brought a tongue. At another time he told him to bring something bad, and he also re- turned with a tongue. "Why did you on both occasions fetch a tongue?" the Rabbi asked. "It is the source of Good and Evil," Tobi re- plied. "If it is good there is nothing better. If it is bad there is nothing worse." 45 TEMPTATION Happy is the man who resists temptation. The study of God's words is the only anti- dote against temptation. THOUGHTS Sinful thoughts are more dangerous than sin itself. TOLERANCE "Before me," said the Lord, "there is no dif- ference between Jew and Gentile; he that accomplishes good, will I reward accord- ingly." The Lord who proclaimed the law of Sinai is the God of all the nations. Support the age without reference to re- ligion. Respect the learned without reference to age. 46 TRUTH Truth is heavy, therefore few care to carry it. Truth is the seal of God. Promise little and do much. Truth is its own witness. Truth tells its own tale. USEFULNESS In all God's creation there is not a single object without a purpose. VIRTUE Beautiful are the admonitions of those whose lives accord with their teachings. R. Dosa Horkhinas said: "Sleeping away in the morning, carousing at noonday, childish trifling and the company of the vulgar, waste a man's life away." 47 WEALTH He who loves money cannot be righteous, and he who hastens after possessions is led away from the right path. Happy is the man whose hands are clean and who does not cling to possessions. If there be such a man, we will praise him as happy, for he has done much for his peo- ple. If those tested and found unblemished, we will exalt him. If, having had the oppor- tunity to deceive, he did it not, having had the means to act unjustly, he acted fairly. The fortune of this world is like a wheel with two buckets, the full becomes empty, and the empty becomes full. Wealth may be like water gathered in a house, which, finding no outlet, drowns the owner. WINE When satan cannot come himself, he sends wine as a messenger. 48 When the wine enters the secret goes out. The man who accustoms himself to intoxi- cants is sure to become accustomed to look upon iniquity and immorality as the proper things. WISDOM Who gains wisdom? He who is willing to receive instructions from all sources. Who is the mighty man? He who sub- dueth his temper. Who is rich? He who is contented with his lot. WOMAN A woman loves a poor youth rather than an old man. A woman prefers poverty with the affection of her husband to riches without it. 49 WORRY Do not worry about what is above the heavens or what will happen when this world will be destroyed, it is all arranged without your aid. YOUTH Some are old in their youth, others are young in their old age. Happy is he who fears God when in the prime of life. Alas! for one thing that goes and never re- turns. What is it? Youth. SO LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 022 011 773 A